Folding-machine.



i A. BATES & A. s. KEMP.

.- 1 FOLDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 20. I913. 1,160,127. Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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A. BATES (KI A. S. KEMP.

FOLDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED IAN.20. 1913.

1,160,127. I Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2' WT/VESS Wl/E/VTU/PS A. BATES & A. S. KEMP.

FOLDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.20. 1913. 1,160,127. Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

WT/VESSES nn'rrnn snares Parana onrica.

ARTHUR BATES AND ALFRED STEPHENSON KEMP, OF LEICESTER, ENGLAND, ASSIGNORS TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY COMPANY, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.-

FOLDING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

, Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

Application filed January 20, 1913. Serial No. 743,141.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ARTHUR BATES and ALFRED STEPHENSON KEMP, subjects of the King of England, residing at Leicester, Leicestershire, England, have invented certain Improvements in Folding-Machines, of

folding the edge of sheet material and is herein illustrated in connection with a vamp folding machine. In United States Patent No. 67 7 ,i04c'of July 2, 1901, there is'shown a machine of this type in which the work table is constructed in two parts in order that they may be adjusted toward and from each other for different sizes of vamps, the division between the parts being at the closed end of the U. \Vith this construction, however, on any but the smallest size of vamps the closed end or throat of the table consists of two quarter curves always of the same shape joined by a straight portion that varies in length according to the size to which the table is adjusted. This is a dis advantage since the throats of vamps of different sizes are curved in varying degrees as are also the throats of vamps of the same sizes for different types of shoes. It is very desirable that the curved throat shall be .properly folded, and it is an object of the present invention to permit different curves to be folded while retaining a simple construction of work table.

Accordingly one feature of the present invention comprises in a machine of the class described a work supporting plate comprising a plurality of spaced sections capable of relative movement toward and from each other, a spacing plate adapted to fill the gap between the sections, and means for removably holding said plate in position. lVhen, therefore, a vamp of any given size is to be operated upon the parts of the table are separated, and a spacing plate of the requisite size is inserted to fill the space, the operative end of the plate being shaped to continue the curves of the edges of the two separable parts of the table so as to complete the U and to make it correspond to the curved contour of the throat of the given vamp.

In the machine of the patent referred to above, there is provided a former which presses the vamp down upon the work table, the margin of the work being turned over by an expanding folder. An expanding folder supporting member below the folder then comes into contact with the U-shaped opening in the table to form an upstanding wall which acts as an edge guide or presser for determining the shape of the folded mar gin of the vamp. It should be observed, however, that with the construction of table such as the present one the guide or presser should be shaped differently for each differently shaped vamp.

A further feature of the invention, fore, consists in a scribed of an edge presser adapted to adjust there its shape automatically to that of the work table so as to define the required outline of the fold of the vamp. In the construction illustrated the expanding folder supporting member has surrounding its throat a spring I which is sufficiently flexible to take up the shape of the throat of the work table so that with a single set of expanding supporting members various sizes and shapes of vamps may be accurately folded.

These and other features of the invention including certain details of construction and combinations of parts will be described in connection with an illustrative machine and pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring now to the accompanying draw- 1ngs,Figure 1 is a plan of a portion of the machine in which the present invention is embodied taken on the line 11 of Fig. .5, the parts being shown in their contracted position; Fig. 2 is a plan similar to Fig. 1 but showing the position occupied by the parts after completion of the fold, part of the right hand former plate having been machine of the class ole-- Fig. 8 but with the folder supporting plates expanded as they are 1n Fig. 2; Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8 are vertical sections of a portion of themachine and illustrate successive steps in its operation, and Fig.9 is a plan showing respectively a spacing plate for the work table and a throat plate for the folder.

As in the construction described in the prior patent, the machine comprises a frame 1 which supports a work table provided with a Ushaped opening, the size of which may be varied in accordance with different sizes of Vamps. A boss 3 formed on the machine frame receives the stem 5 of a bed 7 which is reciprocated vertically by a cam operated lever 9 pivoted at 11. The bed 7 supports an expansible folder which is given sliding movement over the carrier in the manner shown in the patent to move the folder horizontally so as to turn back the margin of the vamp. The stem 5 is hollow and forms a bearing for the vertically movable rod 13 to which movement is imparted by mechanism similarto that which moves the bed 7. To the upper end of the rod 13 is secured a casing 15 in a recess in which a two-part sliding member 17 is adapted to be moved by a link 19 and lever 21, the sliding member being held in place by means of a cover 23. ,Thecasing 15 is provided, as in the patented machine, with pins carrying guide rollsv which operate in inclined slots in the parts of the sliding member so that, as the parts are moved forward by the lever 21, they will also be expanded by reason of the inclination. of the slots. Each part of the sliding member has two depending legs 25 to the ends of which are attached former plates 27, 29. The twopart former isthus automatically expanded and contracted by the operation of the two-part sliding member 17. r

The construction of the machine as thus far described is substantially the same as that of the machine shown in the patent to which reference may be had for a more detailed description of the parts.

.According to the present invention the work table upon which the vamp to be folded is laid comprises two plates or parts 31, 33, each forming slightly less than half of the U. When a vamp of small size is to be folded the parts 31, 33 will be adjusted toward one another until they grip between them a narrow spacing plate 35 selectedv from a series that are adapted to bridge the gap at the throat. When it is desired to fold a vamp having an opening of different size the parts 31, 33 of the table are separated from or moved toward each other by suitable mechanism (for example, such as that shown in the patent referred to above) thus leaving at the front an opening that can be filled by fitting between the parts a larger or smaller spacing plate having its operative end curved to continue the curves of the parts of the work table and to unite them by a throat curve of the proper radius. It may also happen that, although the vamp tobe operated upon is of the same size as its predecessor, it is of a different style in which case a spacing plate of the same size but having a curved end of different radius will be selected. In Fig. 9 aspacing plate 135 of approximately the same width as the spacing plate 35 is shown, but said plate 135, it will be noted, is provided with a differently curved throat. It will be understood that a large number of interchangeable plates of various sizes and curvatures are provided. By reason of these interchangeable plates the parts of the work table may be retained for a large number of sizes and shapes of Vamps, the only alteration necessary being the interchanging of the spacing plates to close up the space left between the two parts of the table. It will thus be seen that the present construction has a great advantage over prior ones in that vided. As here shownthe lower side of the spacing plate 35 has projecting from it a pin 37 which is adapted to fit into a suitably shaped socket in the bed of the machine. The pin has a recess formed in it which is adapted to receive the end of a springpressed plunger 39 to lock the plate in position. WVhen it is desired to remove the plate, the plunger is withdrawn to release the pin 37 so that the spacing plate may readily be removed and replaced by another. In order to eject the plate a leaf spring41 attached at one end to the under side of the bed bears with its other end against the lower end of the pin 37 so that when the plunger 39 is moved to release the pin the leaf spring automatically ejects the spacing plate. 7 r

The folder comprises two folder blades 43, 45 which are mounted upon a sectional folder carrier comprising supporting plates 47, 49 respectively, said blades being ar ranged with their working edges projecting over the supporting plates as best shown in Figs. 5 to 8. Headed screws 51, 53 project downward from the supporting plates 47, 49 through inclined slots 54,56 cut in the bed 7. The screws 51, 53 have mounted on sides of the vamp, the construction and operation of these parts being similar to those of the patented machine.

In order to preserve the continuity of the working edge of the folder blades 43, 45 and to obtain the desired curve at theclosed and 4), and a curved metal plate 55 (see Fig. 2) is inserted in the recess immediately below the folder blades 43, 45. Referring toFig. 2, this plate 55 has cut in it two inclined slots through which pass screws inserted through the folder blades 43, 45 and passing into the supporting plates 47, 49. When the folder is expanded the screws move toward the outer ends of the slots and force the plate 55 forwardly into position to maintain the proper curve at the end of the folder. Figs. 1 and 2 indicate the positions occupied by the, plate 55 when the folder is contracted and expanded respectively. It will be understood that a series of interchangeable throat plates similar to the plate 55 are provided, and one of these plates is shown in Fig. 9 at 155. I

The method of bridging the gap between the former plates 27, 29 when they are separated, (see Figs. 1 and 2) is similar to thatshown in the patent which has been referred to.

57, 59 indicate two leaves forming part of the former plates, said leaves being pivoted at one end to said plates 27, 29 at 61 and 63 respectively. These leaves overlap so as to preserve the continuity of the former when expanded, and the free end of each leaf is provided with a stud which engages a slotted guide 65, 67 attached to the opposite half of the former supporting frame.-

WVhen the vamp is being folded over the plates 27, 29 of the former, the margin of the vamp is liable to draw away from said plates more particularly at the throat of the vamp where the curvature is greatest. Accordingly it is advisable to provide an edge presser to force the folded margin toward the forming plates. In the machine of the patent the forward edge of the folder supporting plates accomplishes this pressing action. When the folder blades move forward to fold the margin of the vamp the supporting plates move forward until they come into contact with the U-shaped edge of the work table, the folder blades normally lying flush with the work table and being adapted to rise and turn up the projecting margin of the vamp. Then as they expand to fold the projecting margin of the vamp over the former plates the supporting plates 47, 49 also expand and press the folded margin of the vamp outwardly toward the edge of the former plates. It is desirable, however, that the edge of the supporting plates 47, 49 should be capable of accommodating Vamps of diflerent sizes and shapes without the necessitv of changing the supporting plates for others of different contours whenever the shape of the blades 43,

work table is changed. Accordingly, a curved leaf spring 65 is provided which is adapted to encircle the two operative parts of the folder supporting plates and isprovidedat its endswith projecting shoulders,

67 69 adapted to move in suitable recesses in said plates. Each shoulder is bored to receive the end of a spring-pressed plunger 71, 7 3 located at one end of the recess. Thus the plungers keepthe resilient edge presser 65 in place about the edge .of the supporting plates 47, 49 but permit it to expand when the plates expand during the folding over operation. The spring is of such proportions and flexibility that when the supporting plates expand it will conform to :the opening in the work table notwithstanding that the opening may have been changed into any of the different curves of which it is capable. In expanding the spring will force the folded margin of the vamp out ward and thus determine the line of the folded edge at the throat of said vamp.

To each of the blades 43, 45 is attached a rib or gage .7 5 which is adapted to contact with the inner edge of the vamp and position it in readiness for a fold of a definite width to be formed. 6

Figs. 5 to 8 show successive steps in the operation of the machine. The folder 45 normally lie flush with the work table as in Fig. 5, the former plates 27, 29 at that time being elevated. After the work has been placed upon the work table in contact with the gage the machine is started, and the former plates descend upon the work and clamp it in position after which the folder blades rise to turn up the edge of the vamp as in Fig. 6. The folder then expands to turn back the margin of the vamp and the edge presser forces it outward to insure that the fold is made at the proper place as shown in Fig. 7 Before the folder finally descends the former plates are withdrawn, as in Fig. 8, to permit the fold to be pressed.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In a vamp folding machine, a work supporting table comprising a plurality of spaced sections capable of relative movement toward and from each other, a spacing plate adapted to fill the gap between said sections, and means for removably holding said spacing plate in position whereby said plate may be readily removed and replaced by a plate of different size.

2. In a vamp folding machine, a work supporting table comprising a plurality of spaced sections capable of relative movement toward and from each other, a spacing plate adapted to fill the gap between said sections, means for locking said plate in place, and means for ejecting said plate when said locking means is rendered inoperative.

3. In a vamp folding machine, a work table having an operative edge-the contour of which may be varied and a folder carrier movable toward and from saidedge in combination with a resilient edge presser mounted on said folder carrier and adapted to. be automatically adjusted to the contour of said worktable.

4. In a vamp folding machine, a work table having an opening corresponding to U-shaped leaf spring mounted upon said folder carrier, and resilient means for holding said leaf spring in place.

6. In a vamp folding machine, a sectional folder having a curved edge, means for separating the sections to expand the folder whereby a gap occurs in the edge of the folder, a plate for bridging'said gap, andmeans whereby separation of said sections causes forward movement of saldplate.

'7. In a vamp folding machine, a sectional folder having a U-shaped edge, means for separating the sections to expand the folder whereby a gap occurs at the throat of the U, a plate for bridging said gap, and means wherebv separation of said sections causes forward movement of said plate.

8. In a vamp folding machine, a folder comprising sections movable diagonally toward and from each other whereby a gap is formed between them, and a plate for bridging said gap, said plate and sections having pm and slot connectlons constructed and ar-- ranged to cause said separating movement of said sections to impart forward movement to said plate.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ARTHUR BATES. V ALFRED STEPHENSON KEMP. lVitnesses: v

FREDERICK VVILLIAM WORTH, JOHN lVILLIs BONSHOR.

Copies'of this patentmay be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. washington D. C.

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